Tracey didn't normally Apparate into other people's homes at the crack of dawn, but after hearing from Pansy that her best friend had been in fine form last night and she wanted to congratulate him on his hang over, and possibly harass him for not giving her an invitation, or at least being there when she cried all over his bed.

Thankfully, the wards were set to let her in, and she Apparated with a quiet pop just outside his bedroom door. The heavy wood creaked as she opened it slowly. Tracey whispered, "Lumos" and as the light from her wand illuminated the darkened room, she nearly gave herself away with laughing. There was Blaise, laid out prone on his back with his mouth wide open. He must have gotten turned about in his sleep as his head was where his feet ought to be. You'd think he'd learn, Tracey thought to herself.

In no short order, Blaise was stripped magically of his clothes and through finger covered eyes Tracey pointed her wand toward him and charmed him into her mother's favourite strapless cocktail dress. The red lipstick was the icing on the cake before she leaned down and whispered softly into his ear, "Blaise, love?"

He didn't move.

"Blaise?" A little louder this time.

He could not remember the last time he had gotten this drunk. He also could not remember the last time he had this big of a headache.

Blaise groaned and rolled over, his brow furrowing when the air movement around him was not natural. Opening his eyes, he growled.

"What the fucking hell is this?!"

"Morning, darling!" Tracey grinned at his surliness and flicked her wand. The dark drapes over the windows flew open, cascading the room into a swath of light. "Sleep well?"

Blaise groaned and turned over away from the sun.

"Tracey, do you have to be an irritating bitch on this particular morning? And, please, can you make it dark again? My head doesn't like the sun right now."

"Oh fine, you sucky baby." She waved her hand again toward the drapes and instead lit a lamp on the far side of the room. "What on earth were you up to last night that I had to hear it from Pansy Parkinson that you'd be near dead this morning with a drunky head?" And why wasn't I invited? she wanted to ask, but she was too entertained by the fact that he hadn't figured out the first part of her irritating little wake up call. It wasn't like they never did things without each other, but last night she'd tried to find him when she'd needed him and he'd been gone. It wasn't like him to go off for an evening of fun without at least telling her. Someone had to be there to keep tabs on him, even if only to keep him out of trouble, and someone needed to hold her up when things were looking grim. That's what he was for.

"Argh," he moaned when more light came on. "Dammit, Trace, will you turn off the fucking--what the hell did you do to me?" he yelled as he finally looked down and saw what he was wearing.

Her smirk was from ear to ear. "Well, I can't say that it suits your colouring... red is not the best colour for you. I should have chosen the gold one instead," she mused, as she tossed him an Extra-Strength Sober Up potion, one that he had made for her as a matter of fact.

"I just want the damn thing off of me. I haven't worn a dress since Truth or Dare in 6th year, and I distinctly remember vowing to never wear another one again." He blindly groped around the bed for the Sober Up potion. "Cheers," he said, tipping the bottle back and downing the contents.

He waited a few moments for the potion to take effect and breathed a sigh of relief when he could open his eyes without wincing in pain. Blaise propped himself on his elbows and shook his head.

"I don't like you very much right now. Red? Gold? I'm not a Gryffindor."

Tracey couldn't help it, she laughed as she sat on the end of the bed. "Oh, you love me and you know it. And that's exactly why I'm going to get away with it, too." At his glare, she went on, "besides, I needed company today, and who better to save me from my boredom than you, love? You're not working today, are you?"

"Do you think I'd go out and get this pissed if I was working? Potion or no, I'm not that stupid."

"You've done stupider," Tracey mumbled to herself before dimming the light.

Blaise leaned back on the bed and reached for his wand, which was on the bedside table. He transfigured the dress to his usual black boxer briefs and pulled the duvet over his head.

"Right now I just want to sleep."

Tracey rolled her eyes. Trying not to tell herself that he deserved this for going out without telling her, she turned the light off completely and crawled up further on the bed to join him at the head, snatching away one of his feather pillows for herself. "I was thinking we could go somewhere... out with people - we haven't done anything together in ages - but if you insist on being a homebody today, I suppose I can play your house-elf instead."

He opened one eye and stared at her.

"I was social last night. Look where social got me. Although having you be my slave for the day sounds lovely."

Smirking widely, Tracey realized how pervy she had actually sounded. "What's your bidding, Master? The only things I won't do is windows or picking up dry cleaning. Mum would have a hippogryff if a Davis did windows... and I didn't like the way that wizard looked at me the last time I picked up your trousers. Like he imagined me wearing them or something equally as heinous."

Blaise snickered and burrowed into the covers more.

"Yes, having you as my house elf sounds wonderful. Make me breakfast?" He outright laughed at Tracey's expression. "I'll take that as a no. Another thing your mum would have a hippogryff over?"

"Only because she'd have to visit me in Azkaban after I killed you with my cooking." Tracey sighed. "You really want to eat? After all that liquor? Mental, that's what you are. Sausage and eggs then? I'll get Didly on it."

When the house-elf appeared, Tracey gave him their orders, and with one last sly smile toward Blaise she asked with sugary sweetness, "You sure you don't want kippers instead, love? I hear eating fish is grand after nearly pickling yourself."

"I hate you," Blaise mumbled. "You're evil and I hate you." He pulled the duvet over his head and groaned.

It wasn't long until Didly brought their food, and Tracey managed to steal one of Blaise's sausages before sitting on his bed with the plate. "So?" she asked between bites. "Did you have fun without me?"

"Oi, if you're going to eat, eat your own damn food." Blaise grabbed the plate from her and glared. "And no, I did not have fun. I hate getting that pissed. God, I can't remember half of what I did last night. I'm going to kill Pansy."

Tracey grinned. She could say a lot about Pansy, but that girl did at least know how to have a good time... and to pull you along for the ride. "I came here trying to find you, actually. I think I very nearly scared Didly out of his dishcloth."

"Well, whatever you wanted to find me for, you found. So, tell me what you will and sod off. I need more sleep. I'm cranky."

Tracey wasn't sure if this was the best time to tell her that she may have cried all over his bed the night before, so she left it light, "I just had a disaster of a date, and wanted to moan. I'm good now." Knowing full well that she was lying through her teeth, she hoped that she wasn't being too transparent.

Blaise snorted. "If you get a broken nail it's like the world is going to end. If you had a bad date, then I shudder to think what actually happened. Explain."

"No, that would be Pansy." Tracey smirked. "So, have you seen Theodore Nott since school?" She wasn't planning on giving Blaise the satisfaction of knowing how far she'd fallen for their former friend. "We went out for dinner to a Muggle restaurant, a first for me by the way, and he ended up getting called back to the hospital. But not until I proved how utterly useless I am, and I let it slip that my mother wants me to settle down with a nice pure blooded boy and crank out babies... yeah... the date from hell, you can imagine. And I came for sympathy... but clearly I would have gotten more from Didly, he at least looked a bit stunned to see me here last night." She hadn't started out cross, but the more she thought on last night, the more she got upset.

Blaise put his plate down.

"Well, I have to admit... once you said Theodore Nott I was hoping he had offended your honour so Draco and I could go kill him, but it looks like I won't have that pleasure." He looked at her and rubbed her back gently. "Sorry I wasn't here for you love. I can still go Obliviate him if you'd like to start over? Not that he deserves you or anything."

Pretending to consider his offer, Tracey grinned and shook her head. "He told me to owl him, but I think he was just saying that. You know, the proper thing a bloke says at the end of a disastrous date. Maybe if we were all still friends, but..." Tracey shook her head again. "No, I don' think I shall. Things change. He doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter at all, I suppose. Anyway - let's move away from Tracey's retched love-life and move on to funner topics of conversation... like what you've been up to all week. I haven't seen you since you came with me to the Daily Prophet Benefit Dinner, and aside from that very pouty owl last Tuesday, I haven't heard from you either. So, what's her name?" Tracey grinned as she took a drink of her orange juice.

"Oh don't you even pull that with me. If we can't talk about your love life, then we sure as hell aren't discussing mine." It was then that Blaise's face took on a look of horror. "Oh fuck. I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"I'm supposed to go shopping today. Shit! I forgot!"

Tracey's grin took on epic proportions. "Shopping? As in, with a girl? Now you must tell me. I'll tell you anything you want in return..." Her eyebrows raised in the sweet little girl look that she knew would win him over.

He glared at her. "I hate that face. A lot. I'm not telling you jack shit because you'll take it the wrong way."

"You do not hate this face. This is the face that has won me my way for over ten years.... this is the face you can't say no to, no matter how much you resist." She tried again, "This is the face of your best friend who needs cheering up. Please tell me your week has been better than mine." Right there near the end she got serious on him. Her grin faltered, and she reminded him that he was the only person other than Greg that she ever let see this side of herself.

Blaise sat up at that. "Alright, what happened? I know I've been a prat lately, but this is you time."

Tracey tried to play it off. She shrugged her shoulders and flipped her hair back. "I guess I was just disappointed with the way things turned out last night with Theo. I don't know. He seemed like he was disappointed with me. Like I wasn't who he really wanted to be there with tonight. Or that I wasn't what he'd hoped I'd be. Not that it was anything serious... just two former house mates getting together over dinner. We weren't even that close back then. I don't know what I was thinking when I said yet to him. In school he was always sullen and serious and I was busy keeping you and Draco in line or being there for Greg. I suppose we're just too different of people. It's just-" Tracey tried not to let him hear the crack in her voice as she looked up at the ceiling. He thinks I'm a mindless bint with nothing to offer? "It was nothing. Really it wasn't anything important." Looking at him sharply she added, "And I was serious when I said I was interested in what you'd been doing all this time without me. I do hope that this time she's worth it, love."

"There is no she, Tracey. At all." Blaise snorted. "Could you imagine me tied down to a single female? I don't think I could do it. You, however, I could see getting married in a few years. Maybe then you'll stop pestering me," he teased. "Your poor husband."

"Nice. I come here for some sympathy and you harass me. You must really love me, Blaise Zabini." Tracey grinned as she stole another sausage from his plate. Hers was still completely full, but it was funner this way. "So, you're going shopping this afternoon with a nameless witch - who is only nameless because you do not want to share that information with your best friend. I see how it is. You're worried I won't like her. She's not a Muggle is she?" Tracey's eyebrows hit her hairline. "You wouldn't do that to me again, would you? The last time it was hard enough not to want to Obliviate her and send her packing."

He snickered. For being a Muggle, the sex had been amazing but the best part of the relationship was watching everyone tip-toe around her. Sure, they had only dated for five and a half days, but they were a funny five and a half days.

"She's not a Muggle. I'm not going to throw her to you wolves at all. She needs a wardrobe because she has no money and I felt sorry for her. I plead temporary insanity. And that's that. Now... about this thing with Theo. Are you sure I can't hex him? I've hexed him before. It's fun. Draco can help. He always liked playing with his wand." Blaise paused and then started laughing.

Not even bothering to cover her amusement, Tracey joined in the laughter. This was why she needed Blaise. No matter what, he could make her forget herself and just laugh. "No, no. No hexing needed. You don't even need to bother Draco with it. Mention it to him and he'd march off to hex first and ask questions later. He just likes hexing things. Don't think I don't remember all the things you tried to pull in school. I'm not going to owl him. It'll be fine. We're going to go on like we have been, Tracey bored in the big giant Park all by herself, and Theo off being sullen somewhere else." Giving him a cheeky grin, "And then there's Blaise- out there shagging more birds that he can count, no doubt. All will be right in the world again once we forget Tracey's bad date."

She could tell that Blaise wasn't very satisfied with this, but he seemed to at least accept her denial that nothing more than her pride had been hurt. He hadn't any clue that she hadn't actually had a real date since Hogwarts... not since they had dated for the whole five minutes during fourth year, and she wasn't telling him either.

"We're going to chat more on this later. No more excuses and no avoiding. But right now, I have to get dressed to meet..." Blaise paused and snickered at Tracey's eager face, "someone for a little shopping trip."

Blaise groaned and rolled out of bed, squinting at the light in the room. He headed into his closet and sighed at the darkness inside, until the overhead lights were brought to life. He walked out of the closet and glared at the grinning woman still on his bed.

"I severely dislike you right now."

"I know you do, but you love me more, and besides, without me you wouldn't be ready on time for your little shopping date anyway. You should really be thanking me for the wake up call," Tracey clucked as she shook her head at the shirt he'd summoned to himself. "Your date should be thanking me for taking this horrid thing away from you. Wear the black oxford with that one," she said, pointing to the dark gray suit behind him. Handing him his silver cuff links, she stood back. "There, you look like Cinderella ready for the ball. Remember to have your date home before midnight, or she'll turn into a pumpkin... or something like that."

Blaise grinned. "You're so strange, but I think that's half the reason I like you so much."

He glanced at the mantle clock and swore.

"And midnight for you was five minutes ago. She'll be here soon and I doubt having you walk out as she walks in would be good."

Raising her eyebrows suggestively and walking seductively toward him, Tracey pulled him close to her and spoke in a low, sultry voice, "Oh, come on, Blaisey-poo... don't let little ol'me interrupt you. Maybe she's the kinda girl who likes this sort of thing." At his look or horror, she pulled back and doubled over laughing. Hitting him with the back of her hand, she grinned, "You can't keep her a secret from me forever. She's going to have to meet me. How else will you explain me away when I pop in here at all hours in my pajamas with takeaway? She's going to wanna know before the first time I do it while she's here." Looking at him knowingly, she kissed his cheek and went to the back side of his bed to retrieve her wand. "However, I can take a hint. I will talk to you later, and it will not be just about my goings on. You will have to be more forthcoming later, love."

"I don't know which is scarier... you and me in a relationship or you in pyjamas. Both make me want to hide under the covers again."

"Nice," she said, smirking widely. "You're just bitter you'll never have the chance to see me in my underthings." Still grinning, Tracey thought of home, and Apparated with a small pop.

He just shook his head and threw the clothes on his bed and began getting dressed. It was already an interesting day.